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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: George B. McClellan
Camp 2nd Michigan Inf.
Upton’s Hill, Va. Oct. 6th 1862
Dear Mother
I wrote a short
letter to you a day or two ago
and not having any thing with
which to occupy my time I thought
I would write you another short
letter to you and hope and trust
it will find you enjoying as good
health as I am. There has nothing
happened of any consequence since
I last wrote you and everything
is so dull that I dont know of
any news to tell you. I feel confident
that we will have no more
fighting this fall for the reason
that our teams have been ordered
to report to Washington to join
Gen McClellan’s army so I think
we will stay in the vicinity of
Washington the coming winter.
I recived a letter from Add the
other day in which he stated
that he was doing first rate
at his news business I am
very glad of it for if any
one deserves to do well it is
him. We are having fine weather
here at present very hot days
and very cold nights but I suppose
if will not be long now before
the rainy season sets in and then
I dont see how it will be
possible for the armies to
move after that for the
mud will be about two feet
deep all of the time and then
I dont think we will
have such a mild fall and
winter as we had last the
people around here all say
they never experienced such
a mild mild winter as last
was. Inclosed you will find the
sum of forty (40) dollars if the
letter does not get picked on
the way and I sent it expressly
for your benefit you
must use it for your own
self and no one else now
be sure and do as I tell you
it is not much but it will
help you a little bit. Mother
in your last letter you said
you had a dream in which
you saw me and that I looked
so natural and so good it
pleases me very much to have
you think that I am good
I can not say that I am better
than I was when I came away
whether can I say that I am
any worse although there
is a great deal of temptation
here. We I am. If I ever get
out of the army alive I
intend to come out as good
as when I entered the
service and that is as well
as can be expect from any
one dont you think so mother.
Tell Mary that I am a going to
write to her in a day or so as
soon as I can think of anything
to say. I dont believe you can make
out this writing I am a miserable
writer as well as speller I will
never be a good writer I dont
believe but I dont know the
reason why. My sheet is full so I
must close give my love to Mary and
Charley and except the same for your
self From your affectionate son Edward A. Winchell
Good Bye till next time which will
not be long Ed
[On Envelope:]
Mrs. G. Winchell
Care of Martin Gieger
Detroit
Advertiser and Tribune
Mich
